Chair back structure



Jam. 24, E9@ W. VV. FORD CHAIR BACK STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 16

INVENTOR.

. 1 I. JA n .Wwf M' @aa/Jagd ovm-,agg

NITED i-S'TATETS -QLFEFFCE -CHAIRBA'CK STRUCTURE Wayne W. Ford, Grand Rapids, Miohmassignor to American Seating Company, "Grand Rapids, Mch.,:a;corporation of New Jersey GClaims l The present invention relates `to chairs and more `-particularly to chairs 0`f thetype installed in .motorbusses, airplanes and other vehicles. This'invention isin the'nature df .amodication of the invention disclosed impending application SerialNo. 14,'05.8f1ed March 10,1948, by Alfred C. "Hoven and vBenjamin il. Oom, .and by them assigned to my assignee.

'The Vprimary `objects of the 'invention are Yto provide a simpliiiedconstruction forreducingthe thickness "of 'anupholstered chair bank Lin the lower middle Tegionthereof thus to increase V'the distance between the ffront ofthe chair `seatand the front surface of'th'e 'chair backatkneeleVeL and 4thus to permit installation Yof `more chairs in "a given space `while at 'the Sametime-maintaining a constantprescribed ldistance atknee level'from the-backfsurface of one chairfback to the `front surface 'of the'ibac'k oi'the `next chair tothe rear; and to Drovidesuch an upholstered chair back vconstruction whichis neatiin-appearance, comfortable `'for one or more l'chair occupants, and reasonably economical in construction.

Anl illustrative embodiment fof :the inventionfis shown in the accompanying ;drawing,\wherein:

Figure V'l Sis a Yside elevational aview of three chairs, one thereof vbeing shown afragmentar'ily, said chairs 'lbeing ,installed one behind another `as inra motorbus orthe "l-ke;

`Fig11re12 isa iront-:elevationalview of'a single chair adapted .to accommodate two persons;

Figure 3 isi an enlarged,:fragmentaryihorizontal sectional iview of the :chair shown in Figure 12, taken on line :1i-a3 Tof :s aid `Figure i2;

Figure 4 is an :enlarged :verticalfsectional view of the chair back per se taken on line t-A of Figure 2, and ,-alsoasiviewed from line -Al of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary ivertical :sectional View of tliechair back showin-gpar-tsfattthe lower portion of Figure '4 further enlargement;

"Figure 6 is a perspective view ofthe-chairfback per se; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective `viewoi a lower ,marginal portion fof :the upholsterycoverlng for the f chair back.

Referring nowinzdetail to thisldrawingwherein like parts are `.designated :..by ,the same .numerals .in :the several views, the chairs `there shown are each mounted upon achairfframe-generally ,designated l fabricated of .metal tubing tout, bent and welded to provide side supports 2 connectedley a lower frontrailS, ya lowerfreareross-tie-,.an .upper grab rail 5,-and :spaced V1: airsof;su opor-tine legs E. An upholstered chair seat 1 is mounted l2 .on the' lower portions nf @the zeide ,supports f2 `and nntheiizrontjraila aand cross-tied, and an upholstered chair back 8 is secured to ithe eugper portions .fof ,thefside supports The chair shown and described :is jprlmarily intended :for :ainstallationin ya motorhus -of `the intraeity :transit type, fand :lit sis 'the -socalled transverseitype o`f chair,;i.eeadaptedifor'installation 4.between a :side wall :and center :aisle of ra .bus transverse the :direction of 'itravel fof the bus. Suchch airs :are custom-arlyiined `up one :.Ibehind another ffrom "iront to rear of :the vehicle :and zit isldesira'bl'e gthat .asimany-such .chairs be :installed in rthe :vehicle as :space l-f-will fpermit. However, there are restrictions, :in :many ,places imposed by law, :setting mnnimum [distances 'zbetween chairs. `I`Such :distance is :customarily fmeasured in'the .middle fof :an .zindividualzseat :at knee level, trom the abackof :one1chair backoto ftheifront of the :chair back to the .rear thereoffas :indicated byithedimensiondines :DimFlgure l `(lll-herminirnum permissible dista-nee Dimay :for sexample be 26.1/2 inches.) 1t isfzdesirable, therefore that the chair 'fbacks be zmade as :thinas possible :at

, knee level=.andlat :the sametnne be fsui'iciently padded iin itheirnlpner VAregions .to provider comfort for'the occupants .According ato :the present :invention -.the .chair back r3 :shown :built iupon a whack frame generally vtiesignatedzi andocomprisng actop .rail I-l, side rails :il l, lf2,ia :bottom rail A|3,and;a .center stile lat dividing f the frame :into two substantially rectangular :parts each having; ane opening vtherethrough .extending near :thelower :edge -of the frame. aes' bestseenainFigureseend sthef bottom rail A@ i extends :'orwardly rbei/ond @the front sur faces o'f the :side :rails fl I, 11:2 :andlhasv its sfront surfacezinclined.rearwardlysupwardlv :A closure panel I5-:of cardboard orfother suitable 'material -lis disposed z adjacent `rtire rear surface of the back frame a9 andeserveseasea ,closure for ,both .of :the fopenings ithrough @the frame 9. Padding t6 vof .cottonfor:` otherwsuitable `upholstering .fmaterial .fis :disposed vrover .the Lfront surface of theripanel i5 endffframeig. An-.upholsterylcovering luof leather!orsthe.likensxlisnosedzover-the padding ,46, andztlaeitop and fsidefmarginal edges of :the :covering :t1 rare :drawn: reariifaiiilygaround the top rail lll and sideirails lll,-l'2cofltlie ramea andrarelsecuredzto therframaas bymeans of tacks or fnails i2 :which :alsoesecure the :top and wvside borders :of -the `:cardboard panel l5 to the `frame.

vThe .bottom .marginal edge of zthe upholstery covering L1 ,is .,dividedJby. spaced vertical slits ein such La manner that the :halves .of the covering which overlie the respective rectangular halves of the frame 9 are each provided with side flaps I9 and middle flaps 20 (see Figure '7). The side flaps I9 are drawn rearwardly around the padding I6 and bottom rail I3 of the frame and are secured as by tacks or nails 2I (see Figure 3) to the rear surface of the frame in a similar manner as the top and side marginal edges of the upholstery covering. The middle flaps 2li of the bottom marginal edge of the upholstery covering, instead of being passed around the front of the bottom rail, are drawn taut and secured directly to the rear of the bottom rail I3 as by tacks or nails 22, thus compressing the padding I6 in the spaced apart lower middle regions of the two halves of the back and reducing the thickness of each half of the back in its lower middle region, While the upper portions of the back retain their original thickness for the increased comfort of the chair occupants. It will be seen that the middle flaps 2! pass downwardly between the bottom rail I3 and the cardboard panel I5, and tacks or nails 23 may be provided for additionally securing both the flaps 2B and the cardboard panel I to the bottom rail I3.

If desired, and as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, a fragment Aof upholstery covering 24 may be disposed around the bottom rail I3 adjacent each middle flap 2), for concealing the parts of the bottom rail I3 which would otherwise be exposed by drawing the middle flaps 26 directly to the rear of the bottom rail. Such fragments 24 of upholstery material are shown secured to the front of the bottom rail I3 by means of tacks or nails 25 which also pass through the inner edges of the side flaps I9 thus giving a neatly tailored appearance to the bottom of the chair back, and the ends of the fragments 2d are secured to the rear of the bottom rail I3 by tacks or nails 2B and by the tacks or nails 23 which also secure the middle flaps 26 and the cardboard panel I5 to said bottom rail I3.

An ornamental panel `21 of polished or enameled sheet metal or the like is applied to the rear and bottom of the chair back, and the chair back is mounted on the chair frame I as by means of screws 28 passing through apertures in the side supports 2 of the chair frame and threaded in the back frame 9. The screws 28 may also pass through apertures in the ornamental panel 2'? to thus secure this panel to the back frame 9. If desired the back frame 9 may comprise a unitary sheet of plywood or the like provided with openings therethrough near the lower edge thereof, through which openings would pass rearwardly and downwardly the middle flaps 20 of the upholstery coverings bottom marginal edge. Said openings would thus correspond functionally to the openings dened by the top, side and bottom rails and center stiles of the back frame, illustrated in the drawing.

It will readily be seen that the invention provides for a reduction in the thickness of a chair back at knee level, and it will frequently be found that the cumulative reduction in a row of such chairs will permit the inclusion of an additional chair in the prescribed space within a vehicle. The invention has been illustrated in connection with a two-passenger chair, but it will readily be seen that the invention is equally applicable to an individual chair having a single substantially rectangular back frame or to an elongated chair having its back frame divided so as to dene chairs for two or more persons.

While but one specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated, it will be understood that numerous details may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as the same is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a chair back, a substantially rectangular frame having an opening therethrough near its lower edge, padding disposed over the front surface of the frame, an upholstery covering disposed over the padding and having its top and side marginal edges drawn rearwardly around the top and side edges of the frame and secured to thev rear of the frame, and the bottom marginal edge of the upholstery covering having at least a portion thereof drawn taut rearwardly through the frames opening and secured to the rear surface of the frame for reducing the thickness of the back in its lower region, and a closure panel secured to the rear surface of the frame and closing the opening therethrough.

2. In a chair back, a substantially rectangular frame having an opening therethrough near the middle of its lower edge, padding disposed over the front surface of the frame, an upholstery covering disposed over the padding and having its top and side marginal edges drawn rearwardly around the top and side edges of the frame and secured to the rear of the frame, the bottom marginal edge of said upholstery covering being divided by spaced vertical slits into side flaps and a middle flap, said side flaps being drawn rearwardly around the lower edge of the frame and secured to the rear 0f the frame, and said middle flap being drawn taut rearwardly through the frames opening and secured to the rear surface of the frame for reducing the thickness of the back in its lower middle region, and a closure panel secured to the rear surface of the frame and closing the opening therethrough.

3. In a chair back, a substantially rectangular frame having a top rail, side rails and a bottom rail, a back panel secured to the rear surface of the frame, padding disposed over the front surfaces of the back panel and the frame, an upholstery covering disposed over the padding and having its top and side marginal edges drawn rearwardly around the top and side rails of the frame and secured to the rear of the frame, and the bottom marginal edge of the upholstery covering having at least a portion thereof drawn taut between the frame and the back panel and secured directly to the rear of the bottom rail for reducing the thickness of the back in its lower region. s

4. In a chair back, a substantially rectangular frame having a top rail, side rails and a bottom rail, a back panel secured to the rear surface of the frame, padding disposed over the front surfaces of the back panel and the frame, an upholstery covering disposed over the padding and having its top and side marginal edges drawn rearwardly around the top and side rails of the frame and secured to the rear of the frame, and the bottom marginal edge of the upholstery cover-- ing being divided by spaced vertical slits into side flaps and a middle flap, said side flaps being drawn rearwardly around the bottom rail of the frame and secured to the rear of said bottom rail, and said middle flap being drawn taut between the frame and the back panel and secured di# rectly to the rear of the bottom rail for reducing the thickness of the back in its lower middle region.

5. In a chair back, a substantially rectangular frame having a top rail, side rails, and a bottom rail extending forwardly beyond the front surfaces of the side rails and having its front surface inclined rearwardly-upwardly, a back panel secured to the rear surface of the frame, padding disposed over the front surfaces of the back panel and the frame, an upholstery covering disposed over the padding and having its top and side marginal edges drawn rearwardly around the top and side rails of the frame and secured to the rear of the frame, and the bottom marginal edge of the upholstery covering being divided by spaced vertical slits into side flaps and a middle ap, said side flaps being drawn rearwardly around the padding and the bottom rail of the frame and secured to the rear of said bottom rail, and said middle flap being drawn taut between the frame and the back panel and secured directly to the rear of the bottom rail for compressing the padding and reducing the thickness of the back in its lower middle region.

6. A chair back for a vehicle chair for two passengers, comprising: a substantially rectangular two-part frame comprising a top rail, side rail, a bottom rail, and a center stile dividing the frame in two parts; a single sheet back panel secured to the rear surface of the frame; padding disposed over the front surfaces of the back panel and the frame; a single upholstery covering disposed over the padding and having its top and side marginal edges drawn rearwardly around the top and side rails of the frame and secured to the rear of the frame; and the bottom marginal edge of the upholstery covering being divided by spaced vertical slits into side flaps and a middle flap for each of the frames two parts, said side flaps being drawn rearwardly around the bottom rail of the frame and secured to the rear of said bottom rail, and said middle aps being drawn taut and secured directly to the rear of the bottom rail for reducing the thickness of the back in spaced apart portions of its lower region.

WAYNE W. FORD.

No references cited. 

